A wide view of Timberborn Colony

Timberborn How to Power Your Colony Efficiently

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Published: September 25, 2021 1:12 PM

Power is a very important resource in Timberborn. As the game goes on, science points will give you access to high-tech structures that you wouldn’t otherwise have had when you started the game. However, a lot of these buildings require power to operate. When starting the game, it’s important to note that you won’t start off with any power, but there are several options that are already available when you start. 

Power Options in Timberborn


There are multiple power options within the game, and they all generate different amounts of power. It is advised to generate more power than you need, because it can be hard to add more once all of your structures are built up and you have to remove power shafts. Therefore, it’s important to always have a bit extra to spare.

  • Shafts are necessary for your power options, as they are what connects the power supply to buildings. They are crafted from logs. The buildings will come up with a blue outline that shows you where you need to connect to and from. 
  • Power wheel (50 power) allows one of your beavers to occupy the wheel and generate energy from running inside the wheel. It’s very cute, but it will always require a worker, so make sure you have one available for this purpose. The bonus to the power wheel is its ability to be placed close to a building, meaning it won’t need many shafts to connect them together. Beavers' pathing can be a bit awkward at times, so make sure there is room for the beaver to get out from where it is building the power supply, as they can get stuck behind it. 
  • Water Wheel (180 power) is placed on a river. To use this power supply, you will need to connect it to land. However, it can be a difficult power supply to use depending on your usage of dams and levees. The water wheel must have running water to provide power. The dams and levees can work well in conjunction to speed up the water flow, therefore making the water wheel run faster and generate power quicker. 

A screenshot showing the power options menu

Timberborn - The Power of Science! 


These options require science points to unlock them. It is not recommended to prioritize spending the points on these options in the early game, as the other options are very useful and functional, and science points can take a long time to accumulate. 

  • High power shafts mean that they can be elevated to wherever they need to go by using a platform. This can be helpful with water wheels, as sometimes the water is lower than the ground meaning the shafts can’t be built across to the land. 
  • Windmill (120 power) and large windmill (300 power)  are exclusive to the Folktail faction. These windmills are placed on land and are very good for late-game runs in the game. They are easy to build and easy to navigate the power lines. 
  • Engine (200 power) is exclusive to the Iron Teeth faction. The engine requires wood to run the engine, and generate power that way. However, it is important to note that this is a difficult option early game and should be used late game if you have plenty of wood in storage or excess wood to spare.

A picture of a power setup within Timberborn
 

Why do I need power?


Power is used for all sorts of buildings in the game, predominantly high-tech structures that have been unlocked with the use of science points. The buildings requiring power will have an electricity symbol above it to notify you of its need for power. Some of the buildings are necessary to build up your colony’s wellbeing. For example, the carousel. It increases the fun requirement for your colony, but requires a power source to run. The more buildings that need power, the more power structures you will need, industrialising your colony. 

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Hi, I'm Amy and I'm an aspiring novelist and freelance writer. I like entertaining people on the internet by playing games badly. Feel free to talk to me… More about Amy

More Info About This Game
Learn More About Timberborn
Game Page Timberborn
Developer
Mechanistry
Publisher
Mechanistry
Platforms
PC
Release Date
September 15, 2021 (Calendar)
Genre
City Builder
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